The American Indian contribution to the world's food

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 9, 2006

taken in its entirety at request of website: http://www.nativecircle.com/iicfood.html

did you know that over 62% of all the food that the entire world

eats today was originally developed by american indian people?

it's true! in fact, if you took out all the food in your cupboards

and refrigerator that was developed by indians, you wouldn't be

left with much to eat. have you ever gone to a movie and had a

tub of popcorn? well, if it weren't for the ingenuity of ancient

indian folks, you'd have to eat something else at the movie! yes,

that's right, indians invented popcorn.... and many other foods

and drinks you enjoy today. the list below will clearly convey

the overwhelming indian contribution to the food of today's world.

a partial list of the foods originally

developed or discovered by indian people

(most of these foods were indigenous only to the americas)

[color=#990000]corn - all types including sweet, flint & popcorn

[color=#990000]beans - almost all types including: pinto, lima, kidney, navy,

[color=#990000]red, white, black, green (string, pole, french, snap), butter,

[color=#990000]great northern and wax

[color=#990000]squash - all types including zuchinni, acorn, spaghetti,

[color=#990000]crook-neck, summer, winter and butternut

[color=#990000]tomatoe - all types including red, yellow and orange,

[color=#990000]from cherry to melon size

[color=#990000]potato - 250 varieties grown (20 varieties are 75% of total harvest)

[color=#990000]3,000 varieties were developed by the incas

[color=#990000]cacao (cocoa & chocalate come from this)

[color=#990000]peppers - all types including green, chili and banana

[color=#990000]sunflowers (the seeds and oil as well), [color=#990000]avacado

[color=#990000]cashews

[color=#990000]hominy

[color=#990000]passion fruit

[color=#990000]vanilla

[color=#990000]catfish

[color=#990000]grits

[color=#990000]hickory nuts

[color=#990000]cayenne

[color=#990000]pumpkin

[color=#990000]gum

[color=#990000]pomegranates

[color=#990000]peanuts

[color=#990000]jerky

[color=#990000]wild rice

[color=#990000]sweet potato

[color=#990000]jerusalem artichoke

[color=#990000]chilies

[color=#990000]tortillas

[color=#990000]persimmon

[color=#990000]yams

[color=#990000]arrowroot (starchy flour)

[color=#990000]prickly pear cactus

[color=#990000]pineapple

[color=#990000]guava

[color=#990000]papaya

[color=#990000]pawpaw

[color=#990000]blueberry

[color=#990000]strawberry

[color=#990000]mulberry

[color=#990000]cranberry

[color=#990000]huckleberry

[color=#990000]chokecherry

[color=#990000]maple syrup

[color=#990000]sassafras (tea, & flavoring of root beer)

[color=#990000]catnip

[color=#990000]manioc or cassava (tapioca pudding)

[color=#990000]mequite

[color=#990000]ramps (wild leeks)

[color=#990000]wintergreen mint

[color=#990000]paprika

[color=#990000]allspice

[color=#990000]pecan

[color=#990000]black walnut

[color=#990000]acorn

[color=#990000]beechnut (fine quality oil)

[color=#990000]clams

[color=#990000]scallops

[color=#990000]shrimp

[color=#990000]crayfish

[color=#990000]turkey

[color=#990000]bison

[color=#990000]moose

[color=#990000]caribou

[color=#990000]musk ox

[color=#990000]antelope

[color=#990000]opossum

[color=#990000]armadillo

[color=#990000]white tailed deer

[color=#990000]alligator

[color=#990000]

written by john two-hawks